Early Media Theories

Early Media TheoriesConcern With Media Effects

Early Media Theories

Early theories were primarily based on the interest to find the effects of mass communication on society and individuals They were based on te assumption that mass media have an enormous and direct influence upon society But later researches questioned this premise


Later researches went against any direct cause and effect relationship between mass communication and society They focused on the importance of individual differences, personal influences on the transmission, acceptance and retention of messages While sociological theories looked at mass media as an outcome of changes in society


Other theories showed how media ought or expected to behave under prevailing political and economic situations Most theories tried to give insights into the role of mass media in society and the way in which audience utilize different mass media


This raises important questions on the effects of mass media: What do mass media do for society? What is the relationship of mass media with society? Are mass media an outcome of changes society? Or are they simply a response to certain demands?


Are media merely reflectors or are they molders of society?


Hypodermic or Bullet theory: This theory reflect the awe and fear of mass media being used for massive propaganda as during the World War II Media was seen as being able to manipulate it audiences at will Media were seen to be like bullets shot at defenseless and passive receivers


Audiences were seen as passive recipients of media messages Media were seen as extremely powerful institutions and media consumers were nave and malleable It saw audiences as an enormous undifferentiated mass of humanity And each member of the audience would respond identically to mass mediated messages


Later researches did not support such a view of audiences


Psychological theories or Individual Difference Theory: Focused on different personality variables that resulted in different reactions to the same stimuli Reactions to different media content differ according to motivation of audience members, their predispositions to accept or reject media messages


Factors such as intelligence, beliefs, opinions, values, needs, moods, prejudices, perceptibility all contributed to the way individuals responded to media messages As a result selective exposure and selective perception limit the scope of direct impact of media messages


Selective Exposure: People tend to expose themselves to messages selectively And general expose themselves to messages that are in accordance with their established convictions And avoid those that question or challenge their beliefs


If by chance they are exposed to contrary opinions they selectively invest these hostile arguments with acceptable meanings Thus narrowing the gap between what they already believe and what they are invited to believe


Selective Perception: Individuals tend to read into the message whatever suits their needs So individuals attend to, interpret and retain messages that are related to their interests, consistent with their attitudes, congruent with their beliefs and supportive of their values


These theories remained inconclusive


Personal Influence Theories: Lazarsfeld 1940 Peoples Choice, revealed people are not directly influenced by mass media in making political choices, other people, particularly political opinion leaders, had a greater influence on peoples decision making than mass media


Informal communication networks, and people talking to each other was seen to play a significant role From this emerged the Two-Step Flow theory Twoof communication Opinion leaders who had first hand access to mass media information passed it down thus providing an important link in a two step flow of information


Opinion leaders were more knowledgeable, educated, influential both socially and economically and more modern in their outlook They were held in high esteem, and people relied on them for ideas and guidance


MultiMulti-Step flow: Further studies led to the modification and rereconceptualization of the two-step flow theory twoBecause of the multi-directional influence of multiopinion leaders


Both the two-step theory and the multi step twotheory discredited the belief of the direct influence of the mass media Extraneous, and interpersonal channels and social relations of audiences, which were often complex multi-directional and multi multidimensional proved more important


Sociological Theories of Mass Communication: are based on the assumption that there is a definite relationship between mass media and social change and look at questions Early Media Theories Do mass media cultivate common beliefs about the world? Does the mass media set agendas for people? How do people use the media and why? Do media have control over audiences?


Cultivation Theory: Developed by George Gerbner 1967 Assumed that mass media had subtle influence on audiences Who in turn unknowingly absorb the dominant symbols, images, and messages of the media This results in the cultivation of a dominant image pattern


Media provide a set of cultural indicators that have reliability and authority analogous to economic and social indicators for policy makers


Long persistent exposure to TV is capable of cultivating common beliefs about the world Message of TV do not portray reality in society Repeated exposure to such distortion leads to a particular view of the world which gets reinforced once they are developed


Gerbner also strongly suggests that the powerful effect of mass media act cumulatively as molders of society


Agenda Setting Theory: Maxwell McComb and Donald Shaw 1967 Agenda setting theory maintains that the media sets an agenda for people Telling people what to think about rather than telling them what to think


This was based on research showing correspondence between the order media gives to issues and the order of significance attached to issues by the audience Priorities accorded to by media become public priorities


However many media thinkers felt the evidence was insufficient to show such a causal connection


Uses and Gratification Theory: (I. Katze et al 1959) This approach assumes audiences are active and willingly expose themselves to media Even the most potent media content cannot influence an individual who has no use for it in the environment in which he or she lives


The uses of the mass media are dependent on the perception, selectivity and previously held beliefs, values and interest of the people


There is an underlying idea of function: For what purpose do people use the media? Study of soaps Bereleson (1948) revealed People use it for emotional release They treat it as a school of life


Gratification refers to the rewards or satisfaction people derive after media use According to this theory communication effects can be more meaningfully explained in terms of enabling people to have a more meaningful relations between themselves and the world around them


Three groups of Gratification theories can be distinguished: Those who conduct inquiries into a range of satisfaction derived from mass media material Those that look at the social environmental circumstances that are responsible for people turning to the media Lastly the needs audience members are trying to satisfy


Albert Banduras Social Learning theory is based on the concept of reinforcement Individual is seen as making choices about behavior and seeks reinforcement from the environment This is also called the Modeling theory because it presumes that people adopt certain behavior by watching other people


By watching other peoples behavior and its consequences If the consequence is positive then there is a positive reinforcement of that behavior and the viewer will tend copy/use it as a model for his or her own behavior


So people set goals that give positive rewards Adopt behavior which has the potential to achieve those goals People interpret behavior and its consequences in terms of reward and punishment Choices are made by perceived success or failure of the past as well as by anticipated consequences


Dependency Theory: Melvin De Fluer and Sandra Ball Rokeach Proposed an integrated theory of mass communication recognizing both psychological and sociological factors that prevent the media from exercising arbitrary control on its audiences


Mass media not only lack arbitrary influence powers but lack the personal freedom to engage in arbitrary communication behavior Both the media and its audiences are integral part of society Surrounding socio-cultural contexts provide sociocontrols and constraints


This control is evident not only on media messages but also effects on audiences Communication has an important role in holding society together Te need to belong to the society To understand the society and to keep up with society has increased the dependency on the media

Early Media Theories

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